High-quality CsI(Tl) single-crystal flake scintillators grown by the space-confined solution method.

CsI(Tl) scintillator has been widely used in X-ray flat-panel detectors due to excellent performance characteristics including a suitable Si-photodiode emission wavelength, excellent optical output, and fast decay time. Here, a solution-based space-confined growth method was presented to achieve CsI(Tl) scintillator single-crystal flakes with controllable thickness. The grown CsI(Tl) single-crystal flake exhibits a comparable light yield (∼72,000 photons/MeV) and a lower afterglow level (0.1% @ 21 ms, 0.01% @ 118 ms) in comparison to that by the traditional melting method. This space-confined method allows for the achievement of a single crystal thickness of only 0.27 mm, making it suitable for direct application in X-ray detection and other related fields. It may open up new possibilities for the development of halide scintillator single crystals. A solution-based space-confined growth method enables the growth of high-quality CsI(Tl) single crystal flakes with controlled thickness for X-ray flat-panel detectors. [Display omitted] • A space-confined solution method is used to grown CsI(Tl) single-crystal flakes. • The thickness of the CsI(Tl) flake grown using this method can be controlled to be as thin as approximately 0.27 mm. • The CsI(Tl) flake exhibits a lower afterglow and a comparable light yield in comparison to that by the melting method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]